Installing underground utilities and pipelines provides numerous benefits in the efficient transport of oil, liquid fuels, chemicals, water, wire data systems and communications, and other utilities. Such buried utilities and pipelines are reasonably accessible for future work, repair, alteration and inspection while generally safely away from people, traffic, weather and other hazards. Being underground versus overhead on posts or poles puts the pipelines and utilities not only out of the weather, but also removes them from sight. It is generally accepted that underground pipelines and utilities are most aesthetically pleasing when hidden underground. However, since the underground position puts them out of site, locating the utilities again during later work can be time consuming and inaccurate.
Maps and databases may indicate the locations, but until the utility is unearthed, the location is uncertain. As new pipelines are installed in the ground, the locations are accurately recorded using GPS coordinates, including depth coordinates. GPS receivers and the coordinates provided in the database help to quickly locate these new utilities for being unearthed or marked. However, improved efficiencies are always being sought to minimize human efforts in locating and unearthing these utilities and assuring the users of the GPS receivers that the utility actually resides where indicated.